My name is Sister Ellen Magallanes. This will be a record of my missionary experiences as I serve in the Australia Adelaide mission (Dec 2013 - Jun 2015). Come witness my journey, my joys and sorrows, my triumphs and tribulations and I pray you will leave inspired and you will see and feel the love of God as it works miracles in my life, and in the lives of all of God's children.

Friday, July 25, 2014

21 July 2014

Let me tell you a story. I've just transferred areas (to a place called Christies Beach! It's gorgeous. Our area is basically the coastline. When I step outside of the flat in the crisp morning I can smell the beach) and I met a former investigator. Sister Watson, my new chill-pickle-awesome companion warned me that this elderly lady likes to call missionaries by their first names. And so I said, well okay that's strange and was kind of dismissive. And when I first introduced myself she asked for my Christian name and I just repeated my missionary name and she let it slide. And then later on in the conversation, after she had called my companion by her first name several times, she asks again for my first name (fair enough, everybody struggles with my last name) and this time I explained I would prefer not to give it. I've always refrained from giving out my first name because my reasoning is once people realise how simple my first name is, they will have even LESS incentive to try and remember or pronounce my last name.... But it is not just that. She asked me why I would prefer to be called by my first name and gave me the opportunity to tell her why which is something I would like to share with all of you. When a missionary leaves on their mission, they have been called of God by a living prophet to minister to the people in their assigned field of labour. When a missionary leaves on their mission, they leave behind their home, their family, their employment, their education, their friends. When a missionary is on their mission they sacrifice any romantic passions, any disobedience, any pride, any fear - these things they give up and place on the altar of sacrifice. And as part of that, I truly believe that I give up my first name. I'm not YSA anymore. I'm not happy go lucky, absorbed in my own (no matter how terribly fascinating or busy) world. I am a missionary. I represent the Saviour. And my title, Sister Magallanes, is a reflection of this service and this sacrifice.

And that's how I escaped out of revealing my first name! :)

I really love it here in Christies. The work is so great! We met an Atheist man the other day and he told us he has Asperger's and it makes it difficult for him to read people. He can tell bullies from a mile away he says, and he is right most of the time. And I asked him what he could see in us. And he laughed and said we weren't bullies but then just before he left he said something even more interesting. He said that when he saw us, he could see two bright lights. And then he laughed at himself - an Atheist seeing a bright light within a Mormon missionary. And I told him I'd write this down in my journal to record it! And it is true. It is so true. Even the unbelieving can see there is something in us. And I feel so very humbled to realise that the Lord has chosen me to be his vessel, his instrument, his hands in preaching his gospel - in preaching faith, repentance and baptism - to his children in these latter days.

I love this gospel. I love it so much. I think my heart has been singing a lot recently, skipping along to its own merry tune and sometimes (often times) it breaks free and I sing aloud too - to the absolute .... delight...... of my companion. I jest, she sings with me! Each step really can be joyful, no matter how heavy or how harsh the circumstance. The past few transfers have helped me to see that. And now, I think I'm happier because God has blessed me with a taste of his perspective. Finally my desires are more aligned with his, and each day and in each prayer there are so many things to be grateful for!

Here are some pictures! Christies Beach after a morning run and the lovely Sister Watson and I. Next time I hope to tell you about more of the amazing people I have met here!

I love you all! Let us be pricked in our hearts this week and continually ask 'what shall we do?' And maybe if you're lucky you'll find the answer in Acts 2:38!